(r. 1362-70). Pope. When Pope Innocent VI died in 1362, the dominant Limousin party in the College of Cardinals became divided and could not elect a pope from within its own ranks. At last, Guillaume de Grimoard, abbot of Saint-Victor, Marseille, was chosen, although he was absent on a mission in Italy. Upon his return to Avignon, the new Roman pontiff, who chose to reign as Urban V, adopted an austere life within the papal palace. Urban was especially concerned with the welfare of the universities, founding two colleges at the University of Montpellier. Praised for combining love of learning and zeal for reform with generosity, he was, however, imprudent about money and inclined to appeasement, even of the Milanese tyrant Bernabo Visconti and of the mercenaries who terrorized France. In 1367, having concluded that the work of Cardinal Albornoz to pacify the papal states could be consummated only by returning the papacy to Rome, Urban left part of the curia in Avignon and departed for Rome with the rest. Although the pope regretted leaving the peace and quiet of Avignon for the perils of Rome, he completed his journey. In the Eternal City, he crowned Charles IV of Luxembourg Holy Roman Emperor; and he received the Byzantine Emperor John V Paleologus, who sought aid against the Turkish threat. In 1370, Urban returned to Avignon, where he died in an odor of sanctity. He was beatified by Pius IX in 1870.
Thomas M. Izbicki
[See also: AVIGNON PAPACY]
Urban V. Urbain V(1362-1370): lettres communes, ed. Marie-Hyacinthe Laurent and members of the Ecole Franyaise de Rome. 12 vols. Paris: Boccard, 1954-89.
--. Urbain ?(1362-1370): lettres secretes et curiales du Pape Urbain ?(1362-1370): se
Rapportant a France, ed. Paul C. N.M. J.Lecacheux et al. 4 vols. Paris: Fontemoing, 1902-55. de Lanouvelle, Edgar. Le bienheureux Urbain Vet la Chretiente au milieu du XlVe siecle. Paris: Letouzy et Ane, 1911.
World History
